Alright, let me start off by saying one thing. If you have no idea what Mario Party is like, please read the Mario Party 1 review before this one. Thanks.

MP1 brought gamers a plethora of little games wrapped tightly around a fun board game playing experience. Not uncommon to the system, another great 4 player game had been introduced.

Mario Party 2 has identical gameplay, although that is not to say this is a rehash of any sorts.While numerous similarities have surfaced when compared to the original, Mario Party 2 just adds to the greatness, with more mini games, slightly improved visuals and more to do.

visuals

MP2, once again, dusts off MP1's core and refines it to look just a bit more polished. The character models look smoother around the edges (although DK's blocky arms are still as noticeable as Britney Spears in a full body red leather suit) by a small margin. Characters also now have different costumes, depending on which game board you're playing in. In Pirate Land, you will see Luigi wearing a patch and pirate hat, where as in Western Land the characters wear brown leather vests and cowboy hats.

The prerendered maps are still here, except now they seem less blurry and more active (small animations such as a horse blinking are put in). Nothing ground breaking but it improves.

How about the minigames? Well, they have been slightly improved graphically aswell. Lighting effects have been implemented well throughout parts of the game. Not by much, but you can notice a difference.

In fact, everything in Mario Party 2 looks just a bit better than it's predecessor. MP1&2 stumble occasionally in the visual department, but the games present themselves well overall.

audio

Mario Party 2 features quirky tunes where ever you go, be it the options room or Space Land, each "score" seems to fit the area fine. Compared to the original, MP2 has more music and more voice samples. Though some tunes and voices can also be heard in the original, Hudson has changed most of the music to set this game apart from MP1.

There aren't very many advancements made in the audio department(although you can press "L" to hear your character's voice byte ala Mario Golf) to take notice of. Not too shabby for an N64 game, but then again it isn't a Jet Force Gemini.

gameplay

Ah gameplay, the most important part of the review. MP2 has good gameplay. Ok, now on to the Multiplayer section.

Seriously though, this is where you notice most of the changes applied to MP2. Let's list off some of the differences you will find in this sequel.

Mario Party 2 has more of those grueling text boxes which you must fight through to actually play the game, when compared to the original. This really hampers the experience, expecially if you want to play a quick game. Although a mini game area is available, it would've been nice to play on the boards just as fast.

Differences that you'll notice for the circles on the boards come like this ; there is a Mini Bowser instead of Bowser, a treasure circle which allows you to play a game to get items (more on that later), an items store, a bank which makes you pay or recieve coins collected from other players, and finally a battle game circle whcih rounds up each players to play one 4 vs. 4 multiplayer game for a jackpot composed of coins from each player. Phew.

As mentioned earlier, MP2 has items. While you can only hold one at a time, these items (which can be bought or won) can give you strategical advantages. Say you NEED to get a star during one turn, you reach into your pocket and pull out a Mushroom, which adds an extra dice to your turn. Other items include the Golden Mushroom (x3 dice), Treasure Chest (steal other player's items), Skeleton Key(open secret paths), Dueling Glove (challenge players to a duel [more on that later]), Bowser Suit (transforms you into a rampaging Bowser who collects players coins if they're in your way), Boo Bell (summon Boo), and the Magic Lamp (which transports you to toad) among others. Double Phew.

MP2 gives you more options, such as the choice to practice a mini game before you play it, the choice whether or not to distribute Bonuses at the end of a game, more events in the boards (when you step on the "? Circle") and so on.

What it all boils down to in the end is the fact that there are more games (64 in total), and they are better compared to the first ones. There are great old games (3 versions of Bumper Balls (!!), Bombs Away), great new games (Lights Out, Shock Drop or Roll), a few stinkers (Dizzy Dancing), and some erotically named ones (Bumper Balls again, Totem Pole Pound). The dueling games add some fun to the mix aswell.

Overall Mario Party 2 is the goodness of Mario Party 1 and then some.

multiplayer

Some of the best on the system. If you liked MP1's multiplayer, then you'll like MP2's multiplayer. 'Nuff said.

overall

Mario Party 2 is a game which takes the engine of Mario Party 1 and purdy's it up real nice like. The extra options, better presentation and smoother graphics make this game better than the original. It's really simple, if you liked the first Mario Party, then buy this sequel! The new games, maps, and objectives are more than enough to warrant a purchase. Great game with great multiplayer. Gotta be Nintendo